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taylormayriley's review against another edition
5.0
WOW!
I can't believe I didn't read this sooner. I purchased The Bird and the Sword after it made the Goodreads Readers Choice for fantasy in 2016. I wasn't sure what to expect, but my gosh I didn't realize just how much I would love it! I ripped through this book in a day, tops; I just couldn't get enough.
Fantasy is often full of stereotypes: quests; forbidden magic; evil beasties; an unexpected hero; an evil king and/or a good king trying to protect his people; an "epic" love story...the list goes on and on. Fantasy has always been one of my favorite genres, but the typical plot points can get wearisome.
I'm not saying The Bird and the Sword doesn't have those stereotypes embedded in it, because it does. There's forbidden magic (the Gifted), a good king (Tiras) and a bad king (his father), an unexpected hero (Lark), and certainly a romance. What sets this book apart isn't really the plot--it's the prose. It is undoubtedly lyrical, and the novel reads like a fable or folktale. In that, it reminded me very much of [b:Uprooted|22544764|Uprooted|Naomi Novik|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480121122s/22544764.jpg|41876730] (one of my favorites).
I also enjoyed reading Lark's perspective. While I do qualify her as the "unexpected hero," she really didn't strike me as a typical heroine. As you can tell from the book description, Lark is mute after her mother "curses" her:
Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.
Lark's muteness makes her observant (along with her powers...though I won't say too much, no spoilers here!) and thus a great narrator. Lark often describes herself, and is described by others, as one oft-overlooked, a "wisp" of a person. She also understands and accepts (though certainly does not enjoy) the effect she has on others--many shy away, look on her with pity or disdain, some even think her incompetent. Lark doesn't wallow in self-pity, and instead pours kindness and a steady strength into all her actions. Many fantasy MCs are the underdog and if they're female, they tend to be headstrong women who seem born to kick ass. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE strong female MCs. But Lark's strength is more subtle, and grows throughout the book. I truly enjoyed reading from her POV and rooting for her the whole way.
If you haven't picked this up yet, I highly suggest! It is well worth your time and won the Reader's Choice here on Goodreads for a reason!
I can't believe I didn't read this sooner. I purchased The Bird and the Sword after it made the Goodreads Readers Choice for fantasy in 2016. I wasn't sure what to expect, but my gosh I didn't realize just how much I would love it! I ripped through this book in a day, tops; I just couldn't get enough.
Fantasy is often full of stereotypes: quests; forbidden magic; evil beasties; an unexpected hero; an evil king and/or a good king trying to protect his people; an "epic" love story...the list goes on and on. Fantasy has always been one of my favorite genres, but the typical plot points can get wearisome.
I'm not saying The Bird and the Sword doesn't have those stereotypes embedded in it, because it does. There's forbidden magic (the Gifted), a good king (Tiras) and a bad king (his father), an unexpected hero (Lark), and certainly a romance. What sets this book apart isn't really the plot--it's the prose. It is undoubtedly lyrical, and the novel reads like a fable or folktale. In that, it reminded me very much of [b:Uprooted|22544764|Uprooted|Naomi Novik|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480121122s/22544764.jpg|41876730] (one of my favorites).
I also enjoyed reading Lark's perspective. While I do qualify her as the "unexpected hero," she really didn't strike me as a typical heroine. As you can tell from the book description, Lark is mute after her mother "curses" her:
Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.
Lark's muteness makes her observant (along with her powers...though I won't say too much, no spoilers here!) and thus a great narrator. Lark often describes herself, and is described by others, as one oft-overlooked, a "wisp" of a person. She also understands and accepts (though certainly does not enjoy) the effect she has on others--many shy away, look on her with pity or disdain, some even think her incompetent. Lark doesn't wallow in self-pity, and instead pours kindness and a steady strength into all her actions. Many fantasy MCs are the underdog and if they're female, they tend to be headstrong women who seem born to kick ass. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE strong female MCs. But Lark's strength is more subtle, and grows throughout the book. I truly enjoyed reading from her POV and rooting for her the whole way.
If you haven't picked this up yet, I highly suggest! It is well worth your time and won the Reader's Choice here on Goodreads for a reason!
isdesreading's review against another edition
4.0
omg i loved this book the magic system and the themes of words and their meanings was just chefs kiss i ate this book up i can’t wait to read book 2 also the romance was top tier
fuette's review against another edition
5.0
The Bird and the Sword is a magical dark fairy tale. It's about a girl who cannot speak, her words have been taken from her. The kingdom is at war, and she is taken from her home by the king. She learns how to use her magic, despite not being able to speak. It is part Snow White, part Rapunzel, with some Swan Lake mixed in.
reagenr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mooching's review against another edition
4.0
4 - Pretty solid fantasy romance. Fantasy romance can lean more into the fantasy genre or more into the romance genre, but this book perfectly balanced the two in my opinion.
The characters were all delightful. I really like Lark, she was determined and cheeky without being egotistical and overly confident. Her relationship with Tiras was well done and I loved how their relationship grew and changed. I thought his “possessiveness” over Lark was cute and not overly done.
The fantasy worldbuilding was pretty well done. It wasn’t particularly complicated and gave a fairy tale vibe but it was mostly executed well. I think this would be a pretty good book for someone entering the genre since it doesn’t have all the complexity some other fantasy books could have. In some places I thought more political intrigue could have been interesting but I also respect the simplicity.
The characters were all delightful. I really like Lark, she was determined and cheeky without being egotistical and overly confident. Her relationship with Tiras was well done and I loved how their relationship grew and changed. I thought his “possessiveness” over Lark was cute and not overly done.
The fantasy worldbuilding was pretty well done. It wasn’t particularly complicated and gave a fairy tale vibe but it was mostly executed well. I think this would be a pretty good book for someone entering the genre since it doesn’t have all the complexity some other fantasy books could have. In some places I thought more political intrigue could have been interesting but I also respect the simplicity.
ashley_a_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
noelishi's review against another edition
4.0
This was so addicting at the beginning! The first hundred pages were like a drug to me. I was certain from the very beginning that this would be a five-star reading. And... it wasn't. Even though I enjoyed the whole book, and devoured the writing style of the author (which I think is exquisite), there was something that made me click off in the second half of the book.
I was frustrated I didn't fully comprehend Tiras's actions, and the complications towards the end were upsetting me more than they should. Although the plot twists and unfoldings of the story were magical and made me enjoy, I had clear this wouldn't be a masterpiece (aka a five-star). I can't really say more about why. Nevertheless, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy book.
I was frustrated I didn't fully comprehend Tiras's actions, and the complications towards the end were upsetting me more than they should. Although the plot twists and unfoldings of the story were magical and made me enjoy, I had clear this wouldn't be a masterpiece (aka a five-star). I can't really say more about why. Nevertheless, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good fantasy book.
sharonsm_28's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you SJ for recommending me this book. This was an incredible read. Amy Harmon made the story enjoyable and powerful. I thought the characters were so good. I loved the story. I loved how the main character couldn't talk. It made every word she thought more real and believable. I thought Amy Harmon's writing style was amazing. I am a fan and I can't wait to read more about her books. Overall, a fantastic read.
cobaltbookshelf's review against another edition
1.0
This is so bad, and I just saw the first 5 star review is from Coho. That should have been my sign not to read it.